@TruroSchool TruroSchoolCommunity

TRURO SCHOOL FORMER PUPILS ASSOCIATION

the truronian2014

–2015

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

3

TRURO SCHOOL

2

President ReportContents

Chairman Report

Page 3 Welcome

Page 4 Meet the Development Team

Page 5Truro School Today

RegularsPage 12 – 16 Sport Fixtures

Page 16 – 17 Truro School Archive

Page 18 – 21 Reunions

Page 22 – 24 Obituary Tributes

Page 27 Congratulations to…

Page 28 The Max Levene Trust

Page 28 TSFPA Funded Projects

Page 29 Truro School Leavers

FeaturesPage 6 – 9 Alumni careers in the BBC

Page 10 Tiling to the Top

Page 11 Haydn’s Creation

Page 25 Speech Day 2014 – Former Pupil Returns

Page 26 Valeria Duca (C014) Staff Caricatures

Page 30 Business Lunches

What’s NewPage 31Former Parents’ Page

With time I have come to meet and be acquainted withgrowing numbers of our former pupils, former parents andformer staff. You are such an important and loyal part of theTruro School community and I feel a strong responsibility toensure we are proactive in helping you to remain connected tothis fine place.

My trip to the Isles of Scilly, home to a good number of alumniwho experienced school life as a boarder, was a wonderfuladventure. It also served as confirmation that my boardingstrategy for Truro School today is the correct course of action.Life as a boarder brings its own unique set of experiences andwith it forges lifelong friendships. Truro School has developedits facilities in the last year to support my belief in this valuablepart of our School life today, as it was in our recent history.

Speech Day 2014 was a very special occasion; we weretreated to a masterful speech by Connie Schneider (CO95).Her three pieces of advice for students were

1. Trust nobody2. Be a home wrecker3. Show no sympathy

She talked directly to our leaving students, imploring them to;learn for yourself, make up your own mind, don't believeeverything you read; travel, leaving parts of your heart/soulwith the people you meet and places you stay along the way;and instead of showing sympathy, show empathy. Shetouched the whole audience with words that go to the heart ofwhat we aim to bestow upon own students. Values that I knowAssociation members carry with them long after school.

I am moved to understand what a greater number of ouralumni are doing. Aided by the School’s new DevelopmentOffice we have looked to improve our two way communicationbetween School and Association members; to find out whereyou are globally; find out how many countries you have left apiece of your heart in; and what discoveries you have made foryourself along the way. The feature articles in this edition havebegun to answer these questions, showcasing the hard work,determination and innovation some of you have shown inrecent years.

Looking further back, our School Archive offers a glimpse ofSchool history from just beyond living memory. We mark theanniversary of the Great War, with our first instalment ofremembrance stories. Jo Wood, our School Archivist,continues to research Truro School during this period and willrelay tales over the coming year across our multiple mediachannels.

Finally, considering our successful list of events in the last 12months, I look to the next opportunities to come together as acommunity. Following on from the outstanding Haydn’sCreation from Scratch performed on the evening of the AnnualReunion Dinner, after the gripping sports fixtures during theday, again this year we aim to celebrate your multitude oftalents. We expect large audiences and healthy participationfor these events and thank you in advance for your support.

I hope you enjoy The Truronian and look forward to seeing asmany of you, from far and wide, in the coming year.

Andrew Gordon-Brown

Every leaver of Truro School is an “Old Truronian” andupon leaving becomes a member of the Truro SchoolFormer Pupils’ Association, of which I have the honourof being the Chairman. The TSFPA Committee are amixed group of hard working volunteers who ensure thatthe Association continues to be a success year afteryear. The past 12 months have been no exception.

The September Annual Reunion dinner was anotherroaring success, showcasing the School’s talentedmusic department, before enjoying the company of oldfriends spanning decades of school history over anexcellent meal. The Decenennial Reunion format isproving to be immensely popular and we’re lookingforward to the classes of ’05, ’95, ’85, ’75 and ’65 joiningus this September. The London Reunion againappreciated a great turn-out and I would urge anyone inthe Big Smoke to venture to Mayfair this October toensure its repeated success.

We’re looking ahead to the upcoming year with greatanticipation, not just for our events but also informulating a new communications strategy to reach ouralumni more effectively with increasingly relevantinformation. The first step in this plan is our newlydesigned TSFPA newsletter – we hope you like it! Withimprovement in our communication across the formerpupil network, we will look to support the School’sCareer Department and Development Office moreeffectively.

On behalf of the committee, I’d like to thank the Schoolfor their continued support of the TSFPA and mostimportantly thank you, our members. Your support ofour events and sending us news for our onlinenewsletter through the year, and for this annualpublication, makes a huge contribution that we greatlyappreciate.

Sophie McGannity (CO98)

Truro School Trennick Lane, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1TH

Tel: +44 (0)1872 272763 Email: enquiries@truroschool.comWeb: www.truroschool.com

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

5

TRURO SCHOOL

4

Truro School TodayDear Alumni

It has been a whirlwind year for Truro School, with thelaunch of the Headmaster’s Strategic Plan 2014 to 2020and the first steps taken towards realising itsaspirational contents.

In April 2014, we launched the Truro School EliteFencing Academy Programme in partnership with TruroFencing Club. This involved moving the Truro FencingClub on campus and simultaneously creating theCornwall Fencing Centre. The Centre boosts an eightpiste training facility in the Old Gym, and team ofinternationally renowned coaches working with ourstudents to develop the best fencers in the country. The Elite Academy Programme will safeguard continuedsuccess for our fencers long into the future.

In May 2014, we proudly opened a junior girl’s boardinghouse, refurbishing the Poltisco building in accordanceto Cornwall Council’s conservation regulations tomaintain its Regency splendour. Opening Poltiscoadded to our suite of boarding facilities now catering forup to 90 boarders, both girls and boys aged 11-18.Nancy Kenward (CO96) has been appointed HouseMistress of Poltisco in addition to teaching Geographyand taking on Head of Careers. Meanwhile ClaireMurphy was appointed as Head of Boarding to overseethe implementation of our reinvigorated boardingstrategy. Boarding at Truro School has traditionally beensuch a mainstay of School life, we are delighted to seeit move from strength to strength.

Another of our pillars has of course been music;melodies heard from every corner of the School, beyondthe confines of Epworth House (current location of the

Music Department). Recognising our musical as well asacademic provisions, Truro Cathedral has partneredwith the School to launch the Cathedral’s first femalechoir. Truro School has committed to educate the girlchoristers, backing the programme with a 25%scholarship and means tested bursaries available for allsuccessful choristers. We have enjoyed recruiting ourgirl choristers over the last six months and keenlyanticipate the start of their choral careers in September2015. Their first performance is scheduled for 11October 2015 at Truro Cathedral – I hope to see manyalumni in the congregation.

A further significant achievement this year has beenfacilitating the launch of the Cornwall Music ServiceTrust (CMST) on 1 January 2015. CMST was createdfollowing the closure of Cornwall’s instrumental tuitionservice. On hearing the service was in jeopardy, TruroSchool joined forces with Gareth Churcher, then BrassTeam Leader, and offered our help to ensure co-curricular music lessons remain fully accessible to allchildren and young adults throughout the county. With a concerted effort the newly formed trust was setup in just three months. Truro School have created ahome for CMST with office space, human resourcesassistance and access to business consultancy. Withsuch support, a stable model for growth under the titleof a registered charity has been generated. It is a fineexample of Truro School’s commitment to reach far intoour community for Cornish wide benefit.

In the next 12 months we willno doubt bring you moreexciting developments; in the meantime to read theSchool’s Strategic Plan 2014-20 please visithttp://www.truroschool.com/senior/about-us/strategic-plan/

Best wishes Rachel Bayliss – Bursar

Hello from theDevelopment OfficeIt is my pleasure to join Truro School and re-launch theDevelopment Office, working alongside some fabulouspeople for such a rewarding cause. Working with thewider Truro School community, supporting organisationssuch as the TSFPA, I aim to bring together all peoplewho have an interest in the future development of ourschool. Whether we be forging links between ourCareers Department and TSFPA, or organising a gettogether of our oldest Old Boys or a spa day for ouryoungest Girls, I hope to cultivate a strong sense ofTruro School community. I am proud to have workedwith the TSFPA on the re-design of this publication andhope you enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyedcollecting the wonderful stories from far and wide.

You can reach me on la@truroschool.com – I wouldlove to hear your stories of School life.

Lucy Alldritt – Development Manager

I am responsible for bringing the Archive to life, as wellas preserving and adding to it. From the success of lastyear’s Archive Exhibition, I look forward to creatinganother exhibition in September this time on the historyof science in Truro School. Did you know that in the1930s Truro School had the leading science laboratoryin the county? If you would like to explore our archives,please do not hesitate to contact me onjvw@truroschool.com

Jo Wood – School Archivist

Since the School kick-started the Development Officeagain, I have been a voice for the TSFPA members. As a former pupil myself I feel well placed to ensure theTSFPA and School hear our views. Although I willprimarily be looking after the TSFPA members, I willalso be working with Lucy on the wider Truro Schoolcommunity activities, hoping to bring people together onevery possible occasion. My main responsibility is toensure we can stay in touch with you – please enableme to keep your contact details up to date by sendingme any changes!

You can contact me on tsfpa@truroschool.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Steve Floyd – TSFPA Administrator

Current Truro School Fencers

Poltisco Junior Girls’ Boarding

Girl Choristers at the Be A Chorister For Day event

“cultivate a strong sense ofTruro School community”

Lucy AlldrittJo Wood Steve Floyd

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

7

TRURO SCHOOL

6

My interest in television started at the ageof 10 when a behind-the-scenes item onBlue Peter inspired me to become a TVdirector. By the time I started Truro SchoolI was already dabbling in 8mm filmmaking. Mr Worsely White reinforced thatinterest through the school film club he ranso energetically. I instinctively eschewedfiction for fact, and projects includeddocumentaries about RNAS Culdrose andthe Fal River oyster sailing boats. Apassion for accessing places that say ‘nounauthorised entry’ was ignited andremains with me today! Every spareminute was spent learning about cameras,lighting, editing, stop frame animation andputting together soundtracks by editingtape.

At 15 years old my experience ofmanipulating sound gave me exposure tothe professional media world at BBCPlymouth. At an informal visit the studio,managers realised I could record, edit and

mix together the inserts for the followingmorning’s radio programme, andencouraged me to return and help out. I was in my element and eventuallyconvinced them I was ready to drive thedesk on the live broadcast. By my lateteens I was employed in the Schoolholidays as a Regional Station Assistant.

BBC Plymouth was my ‘university’ in termsof learning a trade, and where I becameinfected by the intense camaraderie that’sso much part of our bizarre business. Thiswas the heyday of regional BBC TV, soalongside the nightly Spotlight news wemade music shows, quizzes, film dramas,gardening shows, and documentaries –gloriously, and subversively, away from theglare of London chiefs!

But in my mid 20s a London executive didspot some of my work and I was offeredthe chance to move to London. I moved toproducing and directing long-formdocumentaries and series, spendingseveral fascinating years immersed inrecording people’s lives. In the early 90s Ibecame an executive producer and set upa unit focussing on prime timedocumentaries for BBC One - our firstseries being Airport.

After 18 years on the BBC staff I decidedto set up my own independent company,Lion Television. In the early days wechronicled the madness of the AdelphiHotel in Liverpool, explored the oftenuplifting stories of Children’s Hospital, andCastaway 36 men women and children toa remote Scottish island for the whole ofthe year 2000 – a project so ludicrouslyambitious that only years later do I wonderhow we all survived the experience! In theensuing 18 years we have producedhundreds of hours for broadcasters aroundthe world from blue-chip docs to a quiz setin the back of a taxi. 18 years on, havingsold Lion, I am looking for the next part ofa bizarre, but thrilling, odyssey that hasbeen a life in TV.

Jeremy Mills (C077)Lion Television

I left school and went to Christ Church College inCanterbury, where I completed a degree in Filmand Television Studies. I then returned to Cornwalland finished a Newspaper Journalism course atCornwall College.

My first job was at the Slough and WindsorObserver, initially on the news desk beforeswitching to sport. I also worked for a few monthsas a sub-editor on the Daily Express.

My lucky break came in June 1998 where Isecured a six month contract as a trainee AssistantProducer with BBC Sport. It was so exciting tosuddenly be working at Television Centre onprogrammes like Match of the Day and Grandstandas well as on location at so many great sportingevents.

In 2002 I became an output editor, leading thegallery teams on events like the Six Nations,

Wimbledon and the Olympic Games. The timingalso meant I was fortunate enough to be at everyOlympics where Ben Ainslie won gold – aconnection I regularly remind my colleagues of.

After London 2012 I took over as Executive Editorof BBC Sport’s Major Events, so last year I lookedafter the Winter Olympics in Sochi and theCommonwealth Games in Glasgow, as well as ourregular Olympic sports output. My main role now isplanning the BBC’s coverage of the Rio 2016Games.

Anyone who remembers me getting destroyed onthe rugby field in house matches or scrapping to anunconvincing 30 or 40 for the 1st XI will know that Iwas never going to achieve much as a sportsman,so this is very much the next best thing. Not quiteat the heart of the biggest sporting venues, butoften in an OB truck in the car park – and that’ll dofor me.

Ron Chakraborty (CO89)BBC Sport

If I think back to the discussions we used to have in the Sixth Formduring English classes with Mr Scott and History with Miss Thomas(now Mrs Rainbow), what we were trying to do then and what I tryand do every day at work have a lot in common.

I've been a news presenter for the BBC World Service radio for agood few years, and more recently I’ve moved onto BBC WorldNews television too. Every day we’re coming to new informationand having to quickly decide what matters most and whatquestions we need to ask to understand the subject better. Theprocesses share a lot with how we had to approach learning about19th century France or First World War poetry.

Where the BBC and school differ, is that while we wereencouraged to express our opinions in the classroom, doing so onair is a fast track to being relieved of your duties.

I can remember being in a Truro School careers session and beingasked what I wanted to do and replying, ‘journalist’ without givingany real thought to the practicalities of how to achieve that. Backthen many, perhaps most, routes into the industry didn’t involve ajournalism qualification or technical know-how, and there was noasterisk next to this career option saying ‘number of paid jobsdecreasing’.

I’m aware it’s a more daunting prospect today. But I hope that ifthere’s a boy or girl who is 14 now, as I was in 1988 in that careersmeeting, they still choose journalism if that’s what they aspire to.The more I do the more I find the communication and researchskills it teaches are useful in many aspects of life, and, withoutmeaning to sound too pompous, it’s fulfilling because it feels like itmatters. It’s also important to remember as you view an industry influx, that the appetite for journalism hasn’t gone away, it’s justwe’re all changing how we want to consume it and pay for it (or notas the case may be!).

Every day, I’m kept on my toes by people straight out of school anduniversity who are doing really well. It’s hard, but it’s possible, so Ihope the next Cornish generation keep journalism on their list ofoptions.

Coming back to being in the classroom in the Sixth Form, Iremember talking about many issues, but I don’t remember gendercoming up a lot. Nor did it when I was at university. Looking back itfeels like we’d collectively switched off to the differing experiencesof boys and girls and men and women, thinking perhaps that thoseinequalities were rapidly becoming things of the past. Evidently,that’s not proved to be the case.

Last year I made a documentary called All That Stands in the Waylooking at gender inequality through the lives of four teenage girlsin London, Lesotho, Iceland and Jordan. I’m hoping Truro Schoolmight show it to its pupils and that it’ll start a few discussions Inever thought to have when I was there. It’s on YouTube if you’dlike to see it, and if you work at or have kids at schools which mightbe interested in showing it then do get in touch.

I should also mention that you can listen to BBC World Servicethrough iPlayer Radio and on DAB radios. To see BBC WorldNews television you need to be outside of the UK. If you’re onholiday and switch on the TV and get BBC News, that’s us.

Ros Atkins (CO93)BBC Worldservice

I grew up on a farm near Falmouth. It was an idyllicchildhood in many ways, but there were fewopportunities for travel as my father always had to bearound to milk the cows. As a result I developed anacute interest in what lay beyond the farm gate froman early age. Little wonder then that I tookGeography as an A Level at Truro School (in 1985)and then went on to study it at university.

Much as I enjoyed my Geography course, I foundwriting more enjoyable than the actual subject matteritself. As a result I got sucked into student journalismbig time. I was forever chasing stories for Cherwellnewspaper in Oxford, with lots of nights spent helpingto edit the newspaper. I also did work experience atthe Falmouth Packet newspaper and the WesternMorning News during my holidays.

All of those late night production deadlines helpedme to secure a place at Cardiff University on its oneyear print journalism course. From there I became atrainee at the Press Association which was thenbased in Fleet Street. The PA is Britain's maindomestic news agency and it helped me to up mygame in terms of delivering fast and accurate copy.

I had been applying for job / work experienceopportunities at the BBC since I'd left school and I

eventually made it on to their news trainee schemewhen I was 24. I desperately wanted to move to theBeeb as I appreciated the wealth of journalisticopportunities which were on offer there, and twentyfive years on, I haven't been disappointed. Sincejoining I've worked for a wide range of outletsincluding Radio Sheffield, the Six O'clock TV Newsand Radio 4's 'The World at One'. Some of my besttimes were spent doing reporting assignments while Iwas based at Radio 5 Live to countries as diverse asZimbabwe, Morocco and the Philippines.

I spent two years working in South Africa helping toset up a co-production between BBC World ServiceRadio and the South African BroadcastingCorporation (SABC). The work was uniquelychallenging and rewarding and I learnt so much frommy time there. On returning to Britain I joined BBCWorld TV. I started off as a producer, workingthrough the ranks to Assistant Editor.

I never meant to stay so long at the BBC. Theorganisation is changing fast. These days there's ahuge emphasis on social media, citizen journalismand user generated content. Production techniquesare rapidly evolving and the way news is broken,shared and consumed is vastly different to what itwas even five years ago. It's an incredibly excitingtime to be working for the BBC. These days my roleis less about reporting the stories and more aboutorganising how we cover the main themes of the dayin challenging and innovative ways. I've been luckyenough to work with some highly accomplishedpresenters including Naga Munchetty, Nik Gowingand Truro School's very own Ros Atkins!

My advice to anyone who's interested in joining theBBC is to get as much hands-on journalismexperience as you can along the way. Don't wait totake a media studies course. Start writing / takingpictures / recording footage / reporting / bloggingwherever and when ever possible. So many peoplewant to be journalists; you need to be extremely hardworking, persistent and lucky in order to succeed.

Della Matthews (CO85)

8 9

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15TRURO SCHOOL

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

11

TRURO SCHOOL

10

Tiling to the TopJulian Prichard (CO87) took over as general manager forBASF Construction Chemicals UAE in December 2014.He sat down with industry magazine BIG Project MiddleEast to share his thoughts on this new role. Julian haskindly allowed us to share this interview with TSFPAmembers and detail his journey from the spires of Truroto the sands of the Dubai– it makes for a fascinatingglimpse at what hard work and vision can achieve.

Julian started his Truro School career at Treliske in1974 as a boarder at 7 years old. One of six siblingsfrom St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, he confesses “I wasnever much of an academic, but loved sport, especiallyrugby, where I was captain for most of my playing yearsat Treliske and later Truro School.” In fact the peak ofJulian’s rugby career, after playing throughout the 90sfor Rosslyn Park London and Dubai Exiles, came whenhe gained 4 international Caps for The Arabian Gulf inthe 2003 World Cup qualifying rounds.

At 18 years old in the Sixth Form Julian studied MetalWork Engineering and Craft Design and Technology. Herecollects, “I achieved two 'C' grades, with the help ofthe late Roger Shaw the beloved Pentreve HouseMaster, my mentor and family friend.” On leaving TruroSchool in 1987, Julian initially went to work in Ugandafor a construction company, where “I realised that Icertainly was more practical than an academic”. On hisreturn a year later Julian enrolled into South BankUniversity to study Building Surveying. With an HNDunder his belt, he headed once more for the airport.

Back in the early 1990s, Julian Pritchard was one of thoseyoung people who decided to set off for pastures new andunexplored. In his own words, he landed in Dubai on aone way ticket, fresh out of university, with “all his worldlypossessions crammed into a rucksack”. “I didn’t have ajob, but I came out to look.

“Dubai was new then and no one really knew where it wasat the time. I managed to get a job within the first coupleof days working on the Bani Yas Underpass, next to theDeira City Centre. At that stage, my job was to install allthe ceramic tiling on the underpass and to applycarbonation coating,” he recollects. “In my interview, I saidthat I had tiled a few bathrooms before. Now I was doing1,000sqm a day! But honestly, it was actually quite funand a real eye-opener in terms of starting my career in theMiddle East.” Now more than two decades into thatcareer, Pritchard has been announced as the generalmanager of BASF Construction Chemicals UAE LLC.

This means he will be overseeing the UAE, Qatar, Oman,Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen from the Dubai-basedregional headquarters of the Construction Chemicalsdivision. Having joined BASF in 1994, Pritchard was, untilrecently, the construction systems manager – Gulf States.“It’ll be a huge challenge. At the end of the day, thebusiness has been running extremely efficiently andprofitably thanks to our professional team. A lot of eyesare looking at Dubai because we’ve done so well over theyears,” he asserts. “We’ve got an extremely solidfoundation and our people are the foundation of thebusiness. There’s some great talent here and we need toempower people for the future and give them theopportunity to grow with the business. It’s a challenge thatI’m looking forward to.”

In Dubai, you can be working on a Burj Khalifa or anAtlantis type of structure, but equally, you can be working inthe outer regions, building smaller projects. Pritchard sumsup neatly “what I love about Dubai, and certainly about theUAE, is that we seem to be the incubator of innovation.”

What Julian showcases is the unique Cornish or Scilloniandetermination that breeds success through hard work andinnovation driven by creative vision, which is applicablewherever in the world our alumni find themselves. Wewish Julian all the best of luck in his new role.

You can read the full article by BIG Project ME at:

http://issuu.com/thebigprojectme/docs/bigproject_december_2014

Haydn’s Creation and Jazz Concert from ScratchOn the night of the TSFPA Annual Reunion Dinner, theChapel rang out with the sound of Truro School’sreturning musically talented recent leavers.

The first half of the concert, Haydn’s Creation, boastedan all-star line-up of former pupil soloists, conductor andorchestra leader. Soprano, Lydia Manuell (CO08); Alto,Felicity Turner (CO07); Tenor, Farran Roland (CO07);Bass, Charlie Murray (CO09); Conductor, MatthewRogers (CO98); and Orchestra Leader, Jack Vosper(CO09).

The orchestra comprised former pupils as well ascurrent pupils and peripatetic staff. The choir was alsorepresented by each area of our Truro Schoolcommunity - former and current pupils, plus TruroSchool Choral Society members made up of parents,friends and staff. It really was whole school communityensemble!

After the interval (held in the Heseltine Gallery Studioamongst the splendour of Snapshots in Time, theSchool’s first archive exhibition) classical formalitiesgave way to Jazz, directed by the infamous SimonLatarche. Simon, Assistant Director of Music, has beenat Truro School since 1983 and now in his 33rd ofteaching music! He conducted Felicity Turner,accompanied by a Jazz Band of pupils, current andformer, closing the evening in suitably colourful and cool style.

Martin Palmer, Director of Music said “this was awonderful opportunity for our alumni to return, giving our

current students a real flavour of what a career in musiccan look like. It was a pleasure to catch up with everyalumni and ‘hear’ how their musical talents havedeveloped. I hope to do something similar again soon.”

You can see and hear what the Truro School MusicDepartment is up to by following their Facebook page.

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

13

TRURO SCHOOL

12

Easter Smickett v Schinter Sport Fixtures The annual matches took place last year on Easter Saturday between teams offormer pupils, Smith and Wickett against School and Vinter. The weather wasagain superb and some excellent hockey and rugby was played.

The Schinter mixed hockey team:(top image): Hayley Hardstaff, Joe Parry, Adi Shields, Maddie Davison, Kiran Bhardwaj, James Coston, Peter Ashworth,Sunil Tanna, Harry Lobb, Jack Warren and Matt ffrench-Constant

The Smickett mixed hockey team:(bottom image): Simon Reed, Dan Whitmore, Jess Pascoe, Rob Hodge, James Rawling, Luke Rugg, Sam Wheeler,Aime Tall, Alex Reed, Jack Carr and George Baird

The Smickett v Schinter rugby team:

(top left)

Back row: Tom Carne, Ben Pollard, JoeHealey, Jon Hyatt, Tom Clarke, Tom Byrne,Rory Loftus, unidentified, Digby Parsons,unidentified, unidentified, Harry Somers, Nick Carne

Front row: Charlie Pendarves, Theo Gayton,Calum Turner, Richard Pryor (CRRS referee),Dave Hewitt, Tom Somers, Ben Ackner, JamesPooley

(bottom left)

Back row: Michael Woyton, Charlie Goldsmith,Lister Metcalfe, Harry Goldsmith, Tristan Nolan,Andrew Chilcott, Pete Bush, George Masters,Josh Conlay, Tom Collinge, Tom Pascoe

Front row: Adam Crocker, Joe Hicks, TristanParry, Ross Wolhuter, Freddie Gleadowe, ChrisMude, Henry Conchie, Matt Sweet, Ollie Smith

Approximately 40 players joined us for the Smickett v Schinter rugby match. Scrums were unopposed sothere was no shortage of people volunteering to play inthe front row. Smickett were the outright winners by 24 points to 19. Unfortunately not all our alumni areidentified in the team photograph, please email SteveFloyd to help us rectify this situation!

TSFPA would like to say an enormous ‘thank you’ toMark Nicholas who contacted the majority of the hockeyplayers and umpired the match on the day, as well ashelping with the shirts and barbecue. Many thanks Mark.

Thanks to Richard Pryor (CO76) who refereed therugby. A very quick winger back in the 70s at School.

We also had our own former pupil physiotherapist inattendance for the matches. Becky Davison (CO99) isa chartered physiotherapist and does work at TruroSchool as well as the Lander Medical Practice.

The players had the benefit of new shirts, partly fundedby our sponsors. Many thanks to them.

Rugby

Several sixth-formers played in the mixedhockey for which we are extremely grateful.They certainly contributed to the game and thisis something we are likely to continue with infuture years.

Schinter won the mixed hockey match by 3goals to 2, having been 2 goals down at one stage.

Mixed Hockey

Our fantastic Sir Ben Ainslie Sports Centreoffers annual gym membership at £91 per year for alumni up to their 25th birthday. Call 01872 246050 or drop in to sign up today.

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

15

TRURO SCHOOL

14

FP Football v SchoolTom Tallis (CO13) reports

Following the former pupils’ victories in rugby, mixedhockey and netball, the pressure was on for the oldboys’ football team, class of ’13, to make recent history.If the old boys could secure the win against an excellentTruro School 1st XI, it would be the first year in moderntimes the former pupils would take a clean sweepagainst the school first teams. With early news that ourcaptain, George Williams, would return from Thailandjust hours before kick-off, training and team selectionwas left in the reliable hands of myself and Ryan Jelbert.

With three training sessions behind us, the boys were inhigh hopes of a victory. As match day arrived in true TruroSchool style the first team football pitch had not only beenreplaced by rugby posts, but also a 200m running track,so portable goals were in place for the big game.

The game started in a sloppy fashion, with no clear cutchances for either team. We old boys used all ourexperience to change formation into a free flowing 4-5-1formation, which could quickly turn into a 4-2-4 attack.This swung the pendulum into our hands and we began

to dominate possession. Attack after attack barragedthe first XI back four and this soon bought a goal mid-way through the first half, following a sublime run andcross from Ryan Jelbert and nearly tucked home byToby Armstrong.

An inspirational half time team talk came from the gaffer,Simon Collinge (CO74 and current Truro School MathsDepartment). We started the second half confident ofmore goals. With the wind playing a key role in thegame, an untidy yet nevertheless controlled second halffrom the old boys saw out a comfortable win.

The class of '13 have triumphed in every former pupils’fixture and a huge amount of credit has to go to theteams, with second to none preparation being key. Manof the match went to Ryan Jelbert, but in truth couldhave gone to a number of old boys players.

Thanks to Glynn Hooper (Truro School GamesDepartment and Head of 5th Year) and Simon Collingefor organising the game.

The Former Pupils, captained by Ryan Jelbert (CO13),beat the staff in a highly entertaining game. Unfortunatelythe following day’s match against the 1st XI was rained off.

Back row: Michael May, James Evans, Josh Alford, GeorgeFortey, Harry Walker, Jack Gleadowe, Curtis Pay, Louis Dyerand Alex King.

Front row: James Channon, Joash Moosavinia, AndrewHodding, Christian Vroon and Ryan Jelbert.

Back Row: Gus Angilley, Matt Teagle, Jack Reed, TobyArmstrong, Lee Humphreys, Tom Tallis, Nick Byrne and WillKnox.

Front Row: Michael Ahrens, George Williams, George Hooper,Kieran Barlow, Ollie Young, James Townrow and GuyWhittaker.

Back Row: (l to r): Kiran Bhardwaj (CO12), David Hoskings(CO11), Alan Hoskings (CO84), Jack Gleadowe (CO14), JamesAustin, Adam Gustafsson, John Cornish, Charlie Goldsmith(CO10), Richard Spall (CO09), Saul Berger, Rob Monk (CO87),Ben Green, Chris Kendall, Mark Huckle

Middle Row: Charlie Hoskings (CO15), Ryan Jelbert (CO13) Capt,George Williams, Angus MacKinnon, Chris Dennis (CO73)

Front Row: Ben Hoskings (CO13), Michael Austin, Zac Berger

FP Cricket v Staff

Former Pupils DaySeptember 2014Former pupils’ teams played their traditionalmatches against the School in netball, mixedhockey and rugby on the first Saturday of theMichaelmas term.

Many thanks to Millie Deacon (CO14) whoorganised and captained both the netball and mixedhockey teams and Locryn Williams (CO14) whodid likewise for the rugby team.

The School netball team beat the Former Pupils 14-12 in a very closely ‘fought’ match.

As you can see we are missing team photographsfrom the Hockey and Netball matches. We needparticipants and spectators to send photos into usfrom our events and welcome any comments toaccompany them!

Send pictures to tsfpa@truroschool.com

1716

At homeLetters back to the school from former pupils includedpostcards from E.C. Banfield’s brother Ralph:

April 24th. We are now on the way to the Dardanelles.We have been eight weeks in this old boat. Everybodyis in tip-top spirits...

May 27th. You have heard of the attack on the 18th, theenemy seemed to come up in droves just at dawn, andfell like corn mown down with a scythe. It was ratherexciting whilst it lasted. To-day has been very quiet...The first week was simply the limit, did not have anysleep for the first five days... On the Friday we musteredon the beach, hardly half the Batt: turned up...

June 5th. Another week gone and we are still in thesame place... Nothing much really happened this week.Most of us can sleep in any position now, standing,sitting, lying, or kneeling comes natural...

Lieutenant Robert Gilpin, RFA, wrote on 14 June1915, from Ezra’s Tomb, Iraq

I thought of May 1st, 1902, the day I joined TruroCollege. Funny how my mind went back to that daywhile sitting in the hot Persian Desert.

The school magazine in December 1915 recorded that

Second-Lieutenant F.H. Thomas, formerly of St Just,was killed in action in France on October 2nd... He received a commission in September last in aTunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers, and leftimmediately for France. He parted with John Paynter atRouen, and it is pathetic to relate that both were killedwithin a fortnight.

Jo Wood – School Archivist

At war

Casualties 1914-1915E.C. Banfield, 1.11.1914, aged 19W. Blamey, 20.6.1915, aged 41R. Gilpin, 3.7.1915, aged 25A.E.T.H. Varcoe, 5.9.1915, aged 34F.H. Thomas, 2.10.1915, aged 31J. Paynter, 8.10.1915, aged 30H.A. Millard, 13.10.1915, aged 19T.S. Roberts, 22.11.1915, aged 21Truro School in 1915

The day to day running of the school was little affectedby war in 1915, although some teachers left to join themilitary and there were fewer teams available to playagainst in sports matches. Opinions and concerns aboutthe war were often aired by pupils in the school’sdebating society meetings held in the library, includingwhether ‘the government should control the foodsupplies in war time’ - a motion that was carried with 14votes to 4. It was still several months before strictrationing was enforced at the school. A British RedCross first aid course was held and parcels were sent tothe Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (a regiment whichmany old boys joined).

The summer term was ‘on the whole, a happy andprosperous one; but the shadow of the great war hashung over us’. The school’s cadet corps was formed, to

help boys leaving the school who wanted to go on to theWoolwich Military Academy. The first drill took place on7 May with 94 cadets on parade, including eightmasters, with the headmaster, H.W. Vinter, as cadet-captain. On 1 July the cadets were affiliated to the 4thBattalion of the DCLI, with the new title of ‘B’ Company,1st Cadet Battalion of Cornwall. The cadet corpscontinued to grow and was nicknamed ‘Caesar’sLegion’.

By December 1915 it was noted that ‘once more a termhas slipped away, and we cannot help noticing atalmost every hour that the great war is still raging’.Vinter’s continuous correspondence with old boysprovided them with a constant reminder of Truro duringthe turmoil.

The corps gathered together for its first group photograph on 14 July

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

19

TRURO SCHOOL

18

Annual and Decentennial Reunion Dinner September 2014The Annual Reunion Dinner held at Truro School thisyear was the first of a new format targeting‘Decentennial’ reunions within the dinner, amid aweekend of annual alumni events. The netball, mixedhockey and rugby matches, followed by a superb BBQ,were held on the Saturday afternoon, and a ChapelAnniversary Service held on the Sunday morning. (Morenews and photographs of those events can be found inthe October 2014 Online Newsletter.) Our Director ofMusic, Martin Palmer also treated us to a Haydn’sCreation and Jazz Concert from Scratch on theSaturday evening, with several former pupils playing in itand many additional alumni forming the audience (seepage 11 for full article). The weather was beautiful onSaturday 6 September, allowing us to enjoy a drinksreception on the Terrace before dinner and the concert,bathed in Cornish summer sunshine.

Those who graduated School 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50years ago were specifically invited, but the annualdinner was (and will be for 2015) for all former pupils toattend. 110 people in total enjoyed a wonderful threecourse roast dinner, making it the best attended annualreunion for many a year.

At the dinner we were very luckyto have John Rhys Davies(CO62) (which is the stage nameof HJ Davies, Head Boy in 1962-63) as our guest speaker. Johnflew in from New Zealand to joinus and as you would expect ofthe well-known actor, his timing and speech weresuperb. Thankfully John appeared to have misplaced hisaxe on route from New Zealand, though he did not holdback with his opinions on marriage, teenagers and

hoping your children do better than you did in life. It wasa special evening, with Watson Weeks, one of his dramateachers from the 1960s, also attending the dinner. Ithink Watson’s reaction to John’s speech and career wasone of quiet satisfaction - a job well done Watson!

Many thanks to all those who attended the dinner. I think it’s fair to say everybody enjoyed themselves,especially the huge table from the Class of ’94 - passthe port please!

The Annual and Decentennial Dinner 2015 will be heldon Saturday 5 September. The Decentennial Reunionswill be the Classes of ’65, ’75, ’85, ’95 and ’05, open toall those who did or would have left in the Upper Sixth inthose years, as well as any other former pupil whowants to join the party.

Steve Floyd (CO76)

1: Former Staff, 2: Mixed table, 3: Class of ’94 4: Angilley table, 5: Headmaster and Governors’ table, 6: Part of the Class of the ‘early 60s’ table, 7: Mixed table, 8: Part of the Class of ’04

(above) John Rhys-Davies, Watson and Ann Weeks, Brian Jackson and several other pupils from the early sixties,on the Terrace prior to dinner.

Then and Now:50 years on

Photographs of5 FPs from theClass of ’64

Mike Carreras, AndyCameron, Stuart Sylvester,David Stocks and StuartBird all attended the AnnualReunion Dinner andDecentennial Reunion.

1

3

5

7

2

4

6

8

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

21

TRURO SCHOOL

London Networking Reunion Isles of Scilly Reunion

Class of ’67 Impromptu ReunionThree former pupils from the Class of ’67 contacted SteveFloyd at very short notice to organise a tour of School.That was the starting point for a very last-minute reuniontour and lunch for 11 former pupils, some of whom hadn’tseen each other since they left School 47 years ago!

(Main image) Philip Andrews, Terry Webb, Ken Holland, Patrick Vickers, Andrew Barker, Jeff Webb, Peter Thomas, John Brimacombe, Peter Luff, Glyn Mainwaring.

The London Networking Reunion was held in theupstairs function room at The Masons Arms, a GreeneKing pub in Mayfair, with approximately 40 former pupilsable to drop by. Being my first TSFPA event, it waswonderful to witness a broad spectrum of our formerpupil community together, from our oldest attendee MrTrevor Jaggar, who was at School from 1937 to 1943,to the young women who left school in 2010, and the allthe decades represented in between.

As I found, the ‘Networking Reunion’ is a goodopportunity to speak to other alumni who may be in thesame line of work and able to offer nuggets of advice toyounger members. It also provides the opportunity toswap stories of School life through the various ages.One former pupil particularly enjoyed hearing stories ofher father while he was at Truro School. Phil Rule(CO77) gave some wonderfully detailed descriptions ofvarious antics he and Jim Barlow (CO77) got up towhilst at School. Thankfully, realising the delicacy of thesituation and being early on in the evening, Phil, a retiredpolice officer, managed that very fine balancing act ofsatisfying Sarah Barlow’s (CO10) curiosity with ‘selected’stories whilst withholding others. So much for the truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Lucy Alldritt

In November 2014 Andrew Gordon Brown and I bravedthe Atlantic winter weather, launching off the coast ofLand’s End in a rather unsteady SkyBus towards StMary’s, Isles of Scilly. Having organised an afternoon teaat the Star Castle Hotel for all former pupils living on theScillys, there was no deterring us! The afternoon wassuperbly attended, with School graduates from fivedecades represented.

Boarding school life formed much of the conversation,with questions on how it had changed in recent years. Ialso learned a great deal about flower farming, thehistory of the islands and the long connection with Truro

School. Being such a success I hope this becomes anannual event, although perhaps best to be broughtforward into summer to guarantee more travel conducive climes!

Lucy Alldritt

Andrew Gordon Brownwith Mrs Pritchard andtwo of her daughtersAmelia and Helena,CO96 and CO00respectively.

About 40 former pupils attendedthe reunion with many storiesfrom School being told. It waswonderful to see such a broadspectrum of our former pupilcommunity together...

20

Terry Webb and John Brimacombewearing their original caps. AmazinglyJohn’s looks like it still fits.

TRURO SCHOOL

22

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

Obituary Tributes

Louis PASCOE Louis (aka Lou) Pascoe was a long standing member ofTruro School support staff, as technician in the PhysicsDepartment. Lou died peacefully, aged 88, on 29January after a short stay in Amberley House NursingHome, Truro. Lou had remained a Truronian all his life,initially training as a plumber, then working with theWater Board and finally taking up his role at TruroSchool. He also actively pursued various leisureactivities including sailing (through which he met hiswife, Barbara), snooker, shooting and modelaeroplanes. At the School, Lou was a well knowcharacter who presided over an 'Aladdin's Cave' (hisprep room) filled with a myriad of components anddevices that he was always willing to demonstrate toany interested pupil brave enough to venture inside.Many a happy break-time could be spent finding outmore about thermistors, Windshurst machines, opticalprisms and smoke generators, to name just a few. Louwas one of life's real characters. His possibly gruffexterior concealed a heart of gold and a genuineinterest in helping young people navigate the mysteriesof physics and electronics. Our sympathy and bestwishes go to his wife Barbara, children Jane, John andRichard, his grandchildren and great grandson. Thanksto Mike Lister (CO70) for the sad news.

Alistair Macintosh(Larry) LAW (CO72) Passed away at DerrifordHospital on 12 September 2014aged 61. Dear Father ofNatasha. Son to Iain andRosemary. Brother to Jonathan(CO74), also known as Larry.

Alan Fletcher POWNALL (1922-27) Died in July 2010, peacefully in Italy, aged 99. He wasfit and healthy until the end but finally 'ran out of puff'.He is greatly missed by his wife Carole, daughter Annaand her husband, and two grandsons.

Reginald J. RANDALL (1935-39) Died in March 2011 aged 89. He had some fondmemories of his school and with a long medical career asa GP, regarded with affection and respect by his patients.Reginald had a long retirement and was 89 when hedied. He had strong values alongside a gentle nature. I'msure his great strengths were founded on the values hewas taught at school as well as those of his parents.

Wesley James BREWER (1933-39) Died in March 2014 aged 90. He was immensely proudof being an Old Boy of Truro School and remainedenthusiastic to know what was happening at the School.

Nick RICKFORD (CO92) Sadly died in March 2014 aged 39.

Brian Russell KNIGHTS (CO59) Died on 12 December 2014 following a stroke aged 74.He and his wife Evie lived in Arundel, West Sussex. Hehad been suffering with lymphoma cancer and diabetesfor a few years and didn’t recover consciousness fromthe stroke, passing away two days later.

Jenny LEATHES Died on 12 April 2014 after a long fight with cancer.Jenny’s funeral, a celebration of her life and then awoodland burial, was held on Friday 25 April at TrereifeHouse outside Penzance. Five people spoke includingan excellent tribute from Guy Dodd. As well ascontributing much to art and especially to ceramics overmany years her major contribution was in building upDofE. DofE had a very low profile before Jenny arrived,but under Jenny it became a major part of school lifeand many hundreds of pupils passed through it. Jennyalso ran Ten Tors, another major part of school life. Inever helped Jenny in this but for seven of these years Iwas running the Sixth Form and so was very well awareof the involvement of so many pupils, and alwaysremember how helpful Jenny's contributions were towriting UCAS references. After she retired due to hercancer she took on many challenges including runningthe London marathon and was an inspiration to many.Her service was packed far exceeding the numbersexpected and people were standing in the corridors, theentrance hall and possibly outside. I can't think of anystaff who contributed more to what happens outside theclassroom. Tribute from Nigel Baker (CO67 and formerstaff member).

John Milner BOULDEN(1942-56) Passed away in Sydney,Australia on 9 August 2014after a long illness. He leaves awife, six children and fifteengrandchildren. John always hadvery fond memories of his yearsat school, especially his timeplaying cricket and rugby. Hewas in the 1st XI in 1955 and1956 when he captained theteam. He was in the 1st XV in1955-56. John went on to become the CompanySecretary of a large insurance company in Sydney,whilst also teaching accounting two nights a week at aTechnical College for 25 years. He was extremely proudof his children; they all gained University degrees andare now working in their chosen fields.

Barry GRIME (1943-49)Died in April 2014. As well as being a former pupil Barryhad also been a School Governor.

Michael LEWIS (1941-50)Died suddenly on 15 April 2014 aged 81. He had beensuffering from several recurrent illnesses for two years.He had been an active member of the London Branch ofthe Former Pupils’ Association.

Rev John HARPER (CO52) Has died.

Robert BATHO (CO62) Died on 30 May 2014 aged 67. Rob was a prefect andhead day boy before he left Truro School in 1963. Hethen took up a university apprenticeship with RollsRoyce and went up to Corpus Christi College, Oxford inOctober 1964 to read PPE.

Derek Haydn ENDEAN (1945-52) From Truro passed away unexpectedly at the RoyalCornwall Hospital on 9 March 2013, aged 78 years.Devoted husband of Margaret and much loved father ofSarah.

William James Russell (Russ) BARBER Passed away suddenly but peacefully at Royal CornwallHospital, Treliske on Thursday 16 October 2014 aged72 years. Russ taught at Truro School back in the early70s.

John TREWHELLA Passed away at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske on 2January 2014 aged 83 years following a long battle withdeteriorating health. John’s three sons, Roger (CO72),Jem (CO76) and Ross (CO78), all came to TruroSchool.

Charles Paul Thomas WILSON (CO61) Died in September 2013.

John WILSON-CLARIDGE (1949-53) Died in January 1993 from prostate cancer.

William Henry Ernest Alfred (Ernie)THOMAS (1940-44) Died at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth on 13 November2014 aged 85. He had health problems for a number ofyears but was suddenly taken unwell, admitted to A&E.He died after two days in hospital but after a peacefulnight. His son Louis (CO71) writes ‘I know that he wasproud of his association with the school both as pupil,parent and former pupil and had good memories of histime there. I was also lucky enough to be taught by twoof his masters who would refer to him on occasion.’

H. Roy DUNCAN (1959-1966) Died on 30 August 2014 leaving his wife Barbara andtwo daughters, Armorel and Bryony. Roy went to schoolin 1959 and left in 1966. He had two brothers at theschool David and Colin. The Duncans are Scilloniansand were at Truro School as boarders like many othersas they had passed the 11+. After school Roy soonreturned to St Mary's to live and work. He bought theGolden Spray, one of the inter-island boats, which heoperated until he retired. He contributed to Island life inmany ways; lifeboat crew, council member andChairman of the council for many years, JP, drummer inthe Blues Band and other groups to name but a few. He was a good friend to me and many others at school.Obituary from Paul Taylor (1959-1965).

Michael GarnettCARLING (1945-48) Died on 1 March 2014 aged 81.

Born in Wheathampstead,Hertfordshire he grew up in asmall community, earning areputation for an insouciantattitude to life which wasgenerally how he was seen asan adult. Despite his happy-go-lucky attitude he surprisedeveryone by gaining a scholarship to St Albans Schoolwhere he made life-long friends despite leaving after ayear when the family moved to Cornwall. His parentswanted him to continue to be educated in the PrivateSector hence his arrival at Truro School in 1945. Michaelhad a serious side to him which appreciated theMethodist services, the hymns and membership of thechoir all of which remained of life-long importance to him.

Aware that he would have to do National Service, he leftschool prematurely after gaining Lower SchoolCertificate. He joined The Duke of Cornwall’s LightInfantry and quickly rose to the rank of Sergeant. Heloved the life, remaining in the army for twenty nineyears and having gained his Majority, held several Staffjobs in Divisional Headquarters. He enjoyed postings inthe Caribbean, as well as Cyprus, Belgium and invarious stations in Britain, retiring in 1979. Michael diedat home surrounded by his family on 1st March 2014.Tribute from Katharine Carling.

Peter William (PW) BERRIDGE (1938-47)Died peacefully at home in Higher Porthpean with hisbeloved and devoted wife Joan on 16 November 2014aged 82. Formerly of Veryan, he was a greatly lovedand appreciated Dad to Anne, Robert and Ian.

John FAULL (1937-43) Died on 31 December 2013 aged 88.

23

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15TRURO SCHOOL

24

Obituary Tributes

James Edward (Ted) KERKIN (1946-49) Died on Saturday 10 January 2015 suddenly at home,aged 82 years. Much loved husband of Leola, lovingfather of Courtney (CO79) and Phil (CO81), father-in-law to Karen. A thanksgiving service was held onSaturday 24 January at Truro School Chapel following aprivate family committal at Penmount Crematorium.

W H David PODD (1942-47) Died in July 2011, aged 81.

Charles THURLOW (1946-54) Died recently, aged 78. In his later years Charles wasan historian and publisher of great distinction. Charleswas a quiet, intense, humorous and very skilful manwho undertook the labour of love of publishing learnedwork about Cornwall in high quality books at reasonableprices. I very much doubt if Charles made a penny fromhis efforts but he extended our understanding ofCornwall and her people, of their achievements andtheir legacies. He set very high standards for himselfand his authors and contributed greatly to the academiccanon of Cornish life, and to read one of his articles, orhis publications is always a rewarding pleasure. Hisfinest achievement though must be Wheal Martyn ChinaClay Museum - he was one of a complex team but histenacity, charm and erudition ensured that it is, and willcontinue to be, one of the finest industrial heritageinterpretative centres on the planet. I think that, in hisscholarship, his compassion and care, his standards,his demeanour and his self-effacing leadership, CharlesThurlow was undoubtedly one of the great old boys ofTruro School, and I hope that his legacy isacknowledged and enjoyed by all for whom the schoolis a special place. Tribute from Bert Biscoe (CO71).

Stephen Clement WICKSTeacher at Truro School 1950-76. He died on Tuesday 13January 2015, peacefully atMountford House, Truro aged89. Much loved and missed bywife Peggy, children Sarah,Matthew and Polly.

Robert (Robin) TCHERTOFF (1940-45) Died a few years ago. His son has just notified us of hisdeath and said ‘He had been very happy to have re-established contact with his old School’. Robin hadgenerously donated to the 2008 Organ Appeal andhaving emailed him an image of the Air Training Corpscard found in the archives Robin wrote ‘I cherish thosedays. I went on a glider course in August 1945 inWeston Super Mare which ended very well for me butsadly very very badly for the our teacher.’

Victor CharlesWATTON (CO68) Died on 2 January 2015.Charles left Truro School in1969 and went on to LincolnCollege, Oxford. Charles hadan international career in the oilindustry, running companies inPeru, Chile and Spain as wellas in the UK. At 50, hechanged course and becameFinance Director for the RNLI:a job he very much enjoyed until he retired.

Philip John TREVENNEN (CO73) Died on 1 January 2015 at St Julia’s Hospice, aged 60,after a long battle against cancer. From a young agePhilip had always had a passion for photography. Thiswent back to the days when he joined the schoolcamera club and became fascinated with developingand printing black and white photos. He saved up for hisfirst 'serious' camera whilst in his mid-teens, evendeclining an invitation from a friend to spend a holidaywith his family in Alaska. (Where during that holiday hisfriends’ parents entertained an American President,during a visit to the oilfields!) He was a talentedlandscape photographer and his striking images, oftenportraying Cornish land and seascapes at their best,have sold well for a number of years at numerousoutlets around Cornwall. Exhibitions of his work havebeen held not only in the UK but also in Holland andChina, where his Cornish photos featured in nationalnewspapers. For several years he also supplied thephotos used in the Truro Cathedral calendar, proceedsfrom which help maintain the fabric of the cathedral.

Peter Davies BERRINGTON (1927-32) Died on 13 March 2015 aged 96 years. With his sister,Valerie, he was sent from India aboard ship to Englandto attend school. Following his time at Truro he wentonto Taunton School and on leaving school applied tothe Indian Police and was accepted with a post in thePunjab and Northwest Frontier provinces. He was inthe Police in India for 8 years, rising to the level ofDistrict Superintendent, and left upon Independence in1947. After India, he emigrated to British Columbia,Canada where he met his wife, with whom he had threechildren. In 1960 he moved to California and lived therest of his life there. He is greatly missed by his familyincluding his three children and many grandchildren.

Speech Day 2014 - Former Pupil Returns

Transcripts of the speeches made by the Headmaster,Guest of Honour Connie Schneider (CO95), Head GirlAnna Whitford (CO14) and Head Boy Harry Lobb(CO14) can be found under the LatestNews/Archives/July2014 section of the Truro SeniorSchool website. And they are well worth the read assome superb oratory was heard which moved the wholeaudience in the fitting environment of the Sir Ben AinslieSports Centre. There were four Headmasters inattendance; the current Andrew Gordon-Brown andformer Paul Smith, Guy Dodd and Brain Jackson, whowas acting head between Barry Hobbs and Guy Dodd.

The Headmaster’s speech mentioned the following staffleavers; Gretta Lugg, Dave Hunt, Sophie Brookes,Rob Piper, Jonathan Lewis, Melissa Macleod, ChrisMoncaster , Jane Flood, Judith Eastburn andTim Tall. Mr Gordon-Brown went on to say:

“Tim Tall has led the department for somany years, built a great team around himand is the living manifestation of ourschool motto, Esse Quam Videri. He cameto Truro School as a boy, he worked hereas a man, he retires as a legend.”

Connie, who returned to Cornwall especially to speak to our2014 leavers, is a dedicated rule of law professional knownfor her work in the fields of international justice andhumanitarian action in conflict zones across the world. Atone point during her superb speech she asked all theleavers to stand up, ‘I would like the leavers amongst you toget up for a second. Take a good look. Take a look at yourfriends, and your family, and remember this day, becausewhether you choose to stay in Cornwall, or travel the world,this, TODAY, is where it starts: the rest of your lives.’

Steve Floyd (CO76)

Holding the refurbished Opie Shield aloft, the house captains of School House, Ollie Williams (CO14) and Georgie Goldsmith (CO14)

1st XV captain Locryn Williams, presenting his England U18rugby shirt to the Headmaster, with Kim Conchie, Chairman ofGovernors, applauding.

Connie Schneider Anna Whitford

Harry Lobb Andrew Gordon-Brown

25

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15TRURO SCHOOL

26

Congratulations to...

Ben Comeau (CO11)

We congratulate Ben Comeau whograduated with a starred first in his MusicDegree at Cambridge University,achieving the highest mark of his wholeyear group. He also recently passed theFellow of the Royal College of Organists(FRCO) Diploma, winning all the possibleprizes at the same time.

Ben is now working as a composer,pianist and organist based in London, butwill be returning to Truro School on 21November 2015. We look forward tohearing Ben play our chapel organ in aconcert to celebrate the fifth anniversaryof its installation in the School Chapel.

Leaver Valeria Duca (CO14) drew caricatures of teaching staff and put them on the wall in the Staff Room onthe last day of term. Do you recognise them? Valeria has now gone onto study History of Art at St Andrews University.

If you do not recognise anyone from this selection, please visit our online Former Pupil Newsletters from May to July2014 and Terraces 2014 for more pictures.

Sarah-Jane Boyd (CO10)

The former England amateur internationalgolfer turned professional in September 2014and has just started playing in tournaments onthe 2015 Ladies European Tour. Her firstevent was the RACV Ladies Masters on theGold Coast in Australia - that well knownEuropean island. Sarah-Jane double-bogeyedthe first hole, putting a ball into the lake, butrecovered to complete her first round four overpar. She was also four over par for her secondround and missed the cut by a close 3 shots.Her brother Robert (CO99), who is a doctor inAustralia, caddied for her.

Her second tournament, in New Zealandwhere she played in the ISPS Handa NZWomen’s Open, unfortunately saw Sarah-Jane again miss the cut. We wish Sarah allthe best of luck in her upcoming tournamentsand congratulate her on making the difficulttransition to being professional.

Earlier this year, Hannahreceived one of the threePresident’s Awards fromThe Geological Society.President’s Awards,instituted in 1980 byProfessor Percy Allen,are conferred upongeoscientists who arewithin ten years of theirfirst degree in geoscienceor a cognate subject andwho have made a notableearly contribution to thescience.

Hannah is currently in herthird year of a PhD atCardiff University. After herfirst degree at Oxford anda prizewinning MSc atCamborne School ofMines, she is now studying mafic igneous rocks from WesternScotland to assess their potential for nickel-copper and platinumgroup elements – while trying at the same time to understand theevolution of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle over time. Withthe publications arising from her MSc, and with more in press fromher current PhD research, she will boast a substantial publication listby the time she completes her doctorate.

Hannah Hughes (CO06)

27

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

29

TRURO SCHOOL

28

Truro School Leavers 2014

Michael AhrensBolaji Ajose-AdeogunJosh AlfordMary AllisonBeth AngoveJosephine ArterBaba BraithwaiteFinn BranneyCharlotte CarpenterJessie ChanRafael ChengRobert CherryJack Clifford-WingAlice CopelandMilly DeaconTaylor DedmanConnor DonnithorneValeria DucaJack DukesScott DunstanRhys FairlieMaddison FletcherMary FordGeorge ForteyJack GleadoweGeorgie GoldsmithEllie GreenAmelia GriggHayley HardstaffJack HarveyRobert HodgeOliver HoldsworthEdgar Hole

George HooperSally HosieWilliam HoskingJames HoughCandice HuangLee HumphreysMiranda HygateJack JamesAlex JaneRebecca JohnstonLiam KirkbyAadhithyan KumaravelYoriko LamAlex LeeKevin LiGeorge LightChristopher LightfootHarry LobbLuke MansfieldAidan MaskellLucy MatthewsSamantha-JayneMillingtonJoash MoosaviniaAndrew Munro-LottLloyd NielsenCrystal ObiNnebe OkoliTesni PatchingAbigail Piercy

Josh PoatZachary RobertsAlexander RoddaEmily RoddaKendall RoydenDaniel RutterJoe SibleyChris SmithMolly SomersBen SteenLawrence StewartDominic StrattonJoshua TalbotTom ThorogoodRobert TrebilcockJack TrevailChristian VroonHarry WalkerHarry WallworkNathaniel WarrenAlice WheatleySam WheelerAnna WhitfordWill WhitworthLeanne WilliamsLocryn WilliamsOliver WilliamsJacob WyattDonald YauOllie Young

Omar AbbasJasper AttleeGlen BadveThomas BamfordEva BarnsleyIsaac BarrowRaoul BonahPaul CarbisRebecca CarpenterStorm CockroftWilliam CollinsEmily CostonConall CromieSam DarbyEleanor DavisJames DeiraniyaWill DobbsEmily DrewMawgan DuddingAislinn DunneBenjamin EismaOliver FawcettPatrick FlanaganSophia FosterEric HaywoodIndia HeatonCameron Hinton-RoweJourdan-LeahHoldsworthAdam HughesEleanor JeffreyLouise KittoBelle Knowles

Niels KunzRebecca LewalterSophia LiebFrederic LowerBeth McGuinnessMegan McKennaLuke MeesonWilliam MichellLouise PageRosie ParkGeorge ParryEmma PendarvesKatherine PritchardBenjamin RoweLiva RudroffCharlotte SchneiderMillie SmithThomas SwainTrystan Tom-BairdJames TrewChloe TurnerSonny TurnerWilliam TurnerImogen Usher-SparksMilo VingoeBenjamin VulliamyEllie WarrenSimon WasnerFrancesca WatersLeo WendlerHarriet WhittakerJordan WilkinsonEloise WilliamsJacob WilsonRuangrit Yeamsansuk

We welcome the following 2014 leavers to the TSFPA. We love to keep up in touch, so please feel free to email Steve tsfpa@truroschool.com or Lucy la@truroschool.com to update your details. The Truro School CommunityFacebook page is also a great way to remain in contact with each other and see what the School is up to – follow us today!

‘Remember the boy, support the man’Max Levene (CO10)

Funded Projects

This short piece is an abridged excerpt of Max’s fullblog which can be found in the September 2014TSFPA Online Newsletter, where he reflects on his2nd year at UEA Norwich.

In my first year I helped set up a peer support group forany student at UEA with a disability. This year I have done over 50 hours of volunteering forthe scheme. I seem to do quite a bit of work withhelping other students to use technology supplied bydisabled students allowance more effectively. I amreally proud of how successful the group has been.

I have also got involvedwith the charity Inspire bydoing a bit of writing aboutmy experiences of havingan injury and just before theChristmas break (2013) Ihad the amazingopportunity to go to anevent hosted at CITIBANKin Canary Wharf aimed atencouraging students with

disabilities to apply for jobs in investment banking. Itwas a really interesting day where I had the chance tomeet many of the top investment banks. I applied forsome internships however was unfortunatelyunsuccessful but I will try again this year as I reallyapplied a bit too late.

The second term was defined by a very snap decisionto run in the Student Union elections as the studentswith Disabilities officer. I have since been in weeklymeetings and have been on a two day training course in

Great Yarmouth. It hasbeen really interesting andI look forward tocontinuing my role thisnext year with my mainaim being to improveaccess around thecampus.

The main objective of thissummer (2014) was topurchase a Power chair.Whilst I have not wanted(and still don’t really want)a power chair I need toget one in order to drive myself in a Motability vehicle. IfI can get driving it will give me a huge amount ofindependence and could be vital if I’m looking for worknext year; a rather scary thought in itself!! The powerchair is now set to arrive next week meaning I canmove on to the next stage of getting a vehicle. Thechair is going to be part funded by the Max LeveneTrust Fund, and therefore it seems apt to thank allthose who have donated in the past and throughout thisyear. It was also a great honour to have the trust putforward by Mr Austin (House Master Trennick) and MrWhitmore (Director of Sport) to be the schools chosencharity for the RFU grand draw.

You can donate to the Max Levene Trust by sendinga cheque made out to ‘Truro School’ (with MaxLevene Trust written on the back) to James Austin,c/o Truro School. Keep an eye out for more newsfrom Max in our monthly TSFPA Online Newsletters.

This year TSFPA invested nearly £15,000 across anumber of projects. At the 2014 Speech Day we wereglad to see the newly refurbished Opie Shield back inoperation and proudly received by School house. It nowhangs in the Heath Hall for all students and staff to see.The fund also supported the Games Department withnew equipment and trophies, as well as our own alumnirugby and mixed hockey teams kit for the annual EasterSmickett vs. Schinter matches. The largest project thisyear was repairing the stained-glass window above thechapel, now the Heseltine Gallery window. This was anambitious undertaking that has ensured the survival ofthe window for many decades to come. We imploremembers to visit the Heseltine Gallery to enjoy thewindow and wonderful exhibitions held within theGallery throughout the year.

Class of 2014 Class of 2016

TSFPA ANNUAL REVIEW 2014/15

31

TRURO SCHOOL

30

Business lunchesLast term saw thebeginning of ourannual series of‘BusinessLunches’ whichare hosted by theHeadmaster andmyself, Head ofCareers. Each

lunch is held on a Friday in theHestletine Gallery (formally the L6thCommon Room) and is open tostudents from the 5th and 6th formsto attend.

It gives current students anopportunity to meet and questionprofessionals from a range ofindustries in an informalenvironment, offering them afantastic insight in to different jobsavailable and advice on how toreach them. We have been luckyenough to have excellent supportfrom a number of local businesses,current and former parents andformer pupils. Former pupils

Victoria Gould (CO95)

and Tamsin Holman (CO91)attended the Journalism and Medialunch in October and offered adviceon breaking into journalism - bothnow work at BBC Radio Cornwallbut have significant experience inother areas also.

Tim Daffern, current Schoolgovernor and parent, attended theGeology and Engineering lunch andwas able to use his considerableinternational experience across theindustry to outline the huge range ofopportunities within this area. TheLaw lunch was also supported byanother former pupil, DavidWilliams (CO99), who works as areal estate solicitor for Foot Ansteyin Plymouth. He was able to offerhis insight on the various routes intoLaw, and Helen Angove, formerparent, attended the Finance lunchand successfully explained thehuge range of jobs within theindustry. Helen worked ininvestment banking in the City formany years and now divides hertime between London and Cornwallworking for City AssetManagement.

Kim Conchie is our Chairman ofthe Governors and a parent too. Heattended the Entrepreneurs lunchand was able to offer someinspirational advice on the differentopportunities available withinCornwall and further afield. He

successfully demonstratedhow work experience,ambition and networkingcan be just as vital in thebusiness world asdegrees and otherqualifications.

Our final lunch was Medicine,Veterinary and Dentistry and wewere fantastically lucky to have allareas represented. Again, currentand former parents were happy toattend and Dr Harvey, Dr Dommettand Dr Rainsberry were able toprovide a balanced insight into thedifferent specialisms of eachindustry and offer advice andcontacts for work experience.

Every lunch was very well attended,particularly by the 5th Years, and Ithink everyone agreed how usefulthey had been. The Headmasterand I have been so grateful for theamount of support we havereceived from former pupils andparents and the opportunities theyhave presented to our students. Ifyou think you could offer advice,guidance or work experience to ourstudents please contact me onnk@truroschool.com.

Nancy Kenward (CO96)

Dear Former Parents

Welcome to the first everFormer Parents Page inthe TSFPA annualpublication. This page aimsto give former parents theopportunity to have theirsay. In its first year I ampleased that Lou Jones,proud parent of two TruroSchool old boys anddesigner of the revampedTSFPA annual, has written

for us. He sets out his case to former parents toremain engaged with the Truro School communityand explains why he feels the network of parents isequally important as the network of former pupils. Avery fitting first article! As Chair of the Truro SchoolBoard of Governors as well as being a current parent,I am delighted to see that the voice of our formerparents is so valued. Thank you Lou for your article –I look forward to reading many more stories from ourformer parents on this page in the years to come.

Kind regards, Kim Conchie

I did not attend Truro School as a pupil, although manyof my family did. Rather, my own connection began as aparent; putting two sons through both the Prep and MainSchools (Ben: 1990-2002 and Dominic: 1995-2009)which, I guess, qualifies me as a 'fully paid up' memberof the extended Truro School family and, as an ex-parent, a sort of alumnus myself!

It's a funny thing, this association with Truro school, inthat, as a parent, one is pretty much in constant contactwith it: dropping off; picking up; attending parentevenings; supporting teams (a lot); carol concerts;fundraisers, hosting children's friends and our childrenbeing hosted, in turn, by their friends, with much taxiwork in-between. The list goes on and the School isomnipresent in our lives!

Why then, when the time comes for our children to leavethe School – as cleverer, more mature individuals thanwhen they started – does our association pretty muchend? Just like that. With a big full stop. The child moveson into Higher Education or, praise be, paid employment!But the parent, after the initial shock (followed by theeuphoria of waving goodbye to school fees) is left slightlybereft. Friendships and acquaintances made with otherchildren, parents and teachers tend to drop away, albeitwith some exceptions, but the old routines are mostkeenly missed and, over time, they too are consigned tomemory, as our children, much like ourselves, move onwith their lives.

So the idea of an 'Alumni of Parents', seems, to me, tobe just as important a part of the School's outreach asan Alumni of ex-pupils! This is why I would advocate thatall parents and, indeed, ex-parents, whether they be oldTruronians or not, stay in contact with either the TSFPAor with the School itself. As I see it we are, as yet, an'untapped resource'' with much to offer, via our sharedexperience, common bonds and long association with

the School. Maybe us 'oldies' couldstill be involved and useful?There’s a thought!

Lou Jones

Tempus Fugit

Ben (CO02) on the left andDominic (CO09), taken in1996 with Ben joining theMain School and Dominicstarting at the Prep School

UpcomingEvents 2015

Saturday 4 April 2015 Easter Sports Fixtures and BBQ

Football Former Pupils v School10.30am

Rugby Smickett v Schinter3pm

BBQ4pm

Friday 17 April 2015 1940’s Spring Reunion2pm

Friday 22 May 2015 Devon County Show Former Pupils’ Reception 2pm

Friday 5 June 2015Royal Cornwall Show Former Pupils’ Reception 2pm

Monday 29 June 2015 TSFPA AGM7.30pm

Tuesday 23 June 2015Truro School Sports day

Thursday 2 July 2015Former Pupils Cricket v Staff 6pm

Friday 3 July 2015Truro School Speech day

Former Pupils Cricket v School 1:30pm start

Saturday & Sunday 5 & 6September 2015

TSFPA Annual Reunion WeekendSaturday 5 September 2015Netball Former Pupils v School1pm

Mixed Hockey Former Pupils v School2pm

Rugby Former Pupils v School2:30pm

Annual Decentennial Dinner 6:30pm for 7:30pm

Targeting Classes of ’65, ’75, ’85, ’95 and ‘05

Guest Speaker Connie Schneider(CO95)

Sunday 6 September 2015Chapel Anniversary Service11am

Alumni Art WorkshopHeseltine Gallery1pm – 3pm

Alumni Music and DramaPerformance Burrell Theatre4pm – 6pm

Tuesday 1 to Friday 25September 2015History of Science at TruroSchool Archive Exhibition

Thursday 1 October 2015London Networking ReunionThe Masons Arms, 38 Maddox Street,London W1S 1PY 6pm

Sunday 11 October 2015Girl Choristers first performanceat Truro Cathedral

Saturday 21 November 20155th Anniversary CelebrationConcert of the Chapel Organ

Tuesday 15 December 2015Christmas service St Mary’s Methodist Church followed bydrinks at Truro School